Selective audio/sound aspects

• US 8,913,753 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Mangione-Smith, William Henry, Rinaldo, Jr., John D., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, JR., Lowell L., Cohen, Alexander J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US12/924,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20110069843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 381/74, 381/71.3, 381/86, 381/61, 381 56- 57
• US Class Current: 381/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/14 Measuring mean amplitude; Measuring mean power; Measuring time integral of power
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/24 Control dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/34 Muting amplifier when no signal is present or when only weak signals are present, or caused by the presence of noise signals, e.g. squelch systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/00 Two-channel systems H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence

Abstract

Certain aspects relate to providing an at least one audio source to at least one user. Certain aspects relate to selectively modifying an at least one first sound source to be provided to the at least one user, wherein the at least one first sound source is combined with an at least one second sound source, and wherein the selectively modifying is performed relative to the at least one audio source based at least in part on at least some specific information of the at least one first sound source. Other aspects relate to selectively modifying the at least one first sound source to be provided to the at least one user relative to the at least one second sound source based at least in part on at least some specific information of the at least one first sound source.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

circuitry configured for obtaining information associated with at least one first sound;

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above at least one specified level; and

circuitry configured for amplifying the at least one first sound relative to at least one second sound at least partly in response to a determination that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above at least one specified level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining information associated with at least one first sound comprises:

circuitry configured for detecting at least one first sound.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one of the following types of recognized sounds;

voice, noise, siren, buzzer, machine, synthesized, alert, alarm, emergency, horn, or screeching of tires.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one class of sounds.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound based at least partly on one or more of the following;

frequency, content, or characteristic.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level relative to one or more other sounds.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified geographic location and above least one specified level.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified relative location and above least one specified level.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one of the following types of user or device locations;

street, vehicle, office, or home.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for amplifying the at least one first sound relative to at least one second sound at least partly in response to a determination that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for amplifying the at least one first sound relative to at least one second sound and to at least some audio at least partly in response to a determination that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for amplifying the at least one first sound relative to at least one second sound at least partly in response to a determination that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above least one specified level comprises:

circuitry configured for amplifying the at least one first sound relative to at least one of the following types of second sounds;

ambient sound, noise, synthesized, or voice.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for at least partially limiting or reducing the at least one second sound.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for at least partially filtering the at least one second sound.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for at least partially limiting, muting, or reducing at least some audio.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for stopping at least some audio.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for at least partially filtering at least some audio.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for detecting at least one location of a device or user.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for outputting at least one directional cue.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for outputting the at least one amplified first sound such that the at least one amplified first sound appears to originate from at least one specified direction.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured for presenting at least some audio.

21. A method at least partly implemented using one or more processing components, the method comprising:

obtaining information associated with at least one first sound;

determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above at least one specified level; and

amplifying the at least one first sound relative to at least one second sound at least partly in response to a determination that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above at least one specified level.

22. A computer program product comprising:

one or more non-transitory media including at least;

one or more instructions for obtaining information associated with at least one first sound;

one or more instructions for determining that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above at least one specified level; and

one or more instructions for amplifying the at least one first sound relative to at least one second sound at least partly in response to a determination that the at least one first sound is at least one recognized sound associated with at least one specified location and above at least one specified level.